Metsä Fibre implements layoffs at Joutseno pulp mill in Lappeenranta

Metsä Fibre, part of the Metsä Group, will implement layoffs affecting all staff at the Joutseno pulp mill in Lappeenranta. The layoffs will occur in stages starting from September, based on demand from the order backlog, and are expected to last until the end of January 2025. The duration of each layoff can be up to 90 days. The details regarding how the layoffs will be distributed, the number of employees affected, and specific timelines will be clarified throughout the remainder of this year.

The decision to initiate layoffs follows two weeks of change negotiations, which concluded on Monday. Approximately 190 employees work at the Joutseno pulp mill, all of whom were involved in the negotiations.

Metsä Fibre’s CEO, Ismo Nousiainen, mentioned prior to the negotiations that the reason for the layoffs is a decline in demand for market pulp in China. “We need to prepare for production adjustments as shipment volumes decrease,” Nousiainen stated.